Confucianism / World Religions

Just read a book on Confucianism that I picked up from a garage sale this summer. I started picking at  it early in the week when I was laid up from surgery.

This is a high level introduction to Confucianism. Origin, belief, organization, ritual, history, etc. I found the last two chapters most interesting because they were more about the last 100 years in China. Confucius's teachings and China's strict adherence to them really connect a lot of dots for me. China has certain attributes deep-rooted in their culture and now I understand where those attributes come from. It all stems back 2500 years.

It's interesting to read about China's adoption and rejection of this central aspect of China's history. It puts contemporary China in perspective for those of us who don't really know about the fabric that underpins their cultural make-up. A little more light has been shed. A little more understanding has been established.

I definitely found this book educational. Is it a riveting read? No. But I work with Chinese colleagues and I'm interested in Chinese philosophy, so it certainly enhanced my understanding of both.

Confucius seemed like a good bloke with good ideas. But like many wise men; foolish men took his teachings and ruined them. When you adhere to something without progressing for hundreds or thousands of years...it'll turn to shit. I'm sure if Confucius was still around he'd be evolving continually, not stagnating like his followers. Preserving him in amber. Fuck that.

Bosozoku by Masayuki Yoshinaga

I ordered this book from Amazon and got it a couple days ago. It's a photo book on Bosozoku gangs. I know I've touched on them a few times in the past, but to recap; Bosozoku are young Japanese biker gangs. Disenfranchised teenagers riding around on modified UJM's. They make noise, lots of noise, get drunk, party, get in small time fights. And wear kimonos when they ride.

A minority of them take the leap into Yakuza, but Bosozoku aren't as bad as their media portrays. Most of them are done by the time they hit 20 years old.

I'm interested in all things bike-related, so I wanted to have this book. It's a very unique tome. It comes in a hefty hard-cover slipcase, but once you pull the book out you realize there's no spine. It's a hard-cover, but all the pages are glued together in one massive accordion fold. So you read it from front to back, and you can make each spread as wide as you want, and then when you get to the end you turn it over and read it the other way around. When I say "read" I really mean "look." It's all photography. If you were to unfold the book it'd probably be over twenty feet long!

The photography isn't that great, to be honest. It could be a lot better. The photographer was at the right places at the right times...but his photos come across amateur. The Bosozoku have a crazy, unique bike style that's all their own. I dig.

It's a cool book to add to the collection, but I wouldn't run out to get this.

The 4-Hour Work Week

I'm sure you know of Tim Ferriss. He's written the 4-Hour Work Week, the 4-Hour Body and most recently; the 4-Hour Chef.

I picked up the 4-Hour Body a while back, read it cover-to-cover and really dug it. I only practiced a minute amount of what he discussed, but that's neither here nor there. He does a lot of body experiments in that book and they're not things you can just do lightly. They require a lot of bullshit (read: supplements). But I gleaned some useful exercises and some insights on workout theory. It's a good reference book, especially if you plateau and want to try something different. It's just good to have around.

I liked his style of writing. Very informal, but informed. No pretense.

So, seeing as I'm always into reading about different work theories, management, etc, I knew I had to read his first book, the 4-Hour Work Week.

It wasn't quite what I expected. Although I honestly don't know what I expected.

The subtitle is pretty accurate, upon reflection. That's what it's about. There're definitely things you can try to do. Things to make you money. And things to free yourself from your cubicle. But I'd say this is heavily swayed toward the entrepreneur. Or people wanting to become entrepreneurs. It's less helpful for people who enjoy their office job or whose job simply wont allow them to work remotely. For instance if you're a teacher...you kind of need to be at work. (I know some classes are taught remotely but you're hardly gonna convince your principle that you can work the whole year...abroad.)

I have tried experimenting with some of the ideas, though. Most specifically I've contracted a Virtual Assistant at work. He lives in India and he will do my bidding so long as it doesn't require him to get off of his chair. I.E. he'll do whatever I ask as long as he doesn't have to go somewhere. It's all executed virtually. Via email, Skype, phonecall, smokesignals, whatever. So far it's been more of a success than I anticipated. I haven't found a ton of stuff for him to do yet, but what has been sent his way has been executed perfectly. I think it's something we're going to be able to scale. So even if I gain nothing else, the Virtual Assistant thing has been a cool experiment.

I bought the 4-Hour Chef for Marie for x-mas. She hasn't read it yet, but I read a couple chapters. Even though I don't cook (ever), it seemed like it may be the best book of the three. And I'm going to read it, too. It's just the theories and concepts he explains. The experiments. They're eye-opening and intriguing.

So, while I don't think Tim Ferriss's books will impact my life in a huge way, they're definitely fun to read. And that's why you pick up a book anyway.

Panther Baby

I just read this in 24 hours. You don't have much of a choice when you've blown your knee out and literally can't get off the couch.

Marie told me about this book a while back. I think she heard an interview with the author on NPR or something. I added it to my Amazon Wishlist and I picked it up for my birthday. Appropriately it was a giftcard from Marie that funded the book.

Panther Baby is by Jamal Joseph. It's an autobiography that focuses exclusively on Jamal's life as a Black Panther and in turn how that shaped his life. That's the angle.

Whether you're for or against the Panthers is irrelevant. This is obviously a quick, easy and enjoyable read. Got nothing to do on a Sunday? You can read all 280 odd pages no bother. Jamal weaves a good tale. It's well-paced. It's fast when it needs to be, yet slow and contemplative when the need arises. Jamal goes from being a fifteen year old virgin to a twenty-nine year old ex-con, ex-militant, ex-druggie. As well as an activist, poet, writer, counselor...

Jamal's led a pretty intense life and he tells it quite humbly, to be honest. I never got a feeling he was bragging about his deeds. He seemed pretty grounded after all he's been through.

I'd recommend you read this, my brothers and sisters of the revolution.

Speed Tribes

I finally finished Speed Tribes. Don't know why it took me so long. I really freakin dug it.

Bad Eye loaned this to me. He said a bunch of his biker buddies passed this book around in the late 90's when he lived in Chi-town. He was keeping it alive.

"Speed Tribes" is the translation for Japan's bosozoku. What's that? Outlaw motorcycle clubs and car clubs. Or as it turns out, mixed clubs rolling on two OR four wheels. Whatever they can afford. They're sort of like Japan's answer to England's mods and rockers. Riding around, taking uppers, getting drunk, making noise, being rowdy, fighting, taking downers, sleeping in an underpass and doing it all again the next day.

Speed Tribes is broken into about a dozen chapters. Each one profiles a different type of Japanese youth subculture. From bosozoku to bar hostesses to political activists to computer nerds. The author just tries to give you a cross-section of Tokyo youth and Japanese culture. It's diverse and very fucking intriguing.

Marie and I are probably going to Scotland next year and then Italy after that...and I think/hope Japan could be the next holiday after that. It's high up on my list o' places to go. I'm mesmerized. I might not come back.

I'd recommend anyone read this book. It's so surreal at times. So foreign. But it makes you want to be there and see this shit with your own eyes. I just find Japan a very interesting place. And likewise, this is an interesting book.

the Conqueror Worms

I've never read horror fiction before. This was my first foray in the genre. I gotta say, I thought the Conqueror Worms was pretty damn good. Evidently Brian Keene is heralded as the next Stephen King. I wouldn't be able to validate that because I've never read Stephen King, either!

I think I saw my friend, Mike, post about it on Facebook and I thought fuck it, I'll give this a whirl. I picked it up used on Amazon for a couple bucks. Mike turned me on to Love Sex Fear Death and it was rad, so I thought I'd give his book recommendations another go.

The Conqueror Worms is about rain. Lots of rain. It's been raining torrentially all over the globe for about 6 weeks. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, you name it. Islands are submerged like Atlantis. Coastal towns are long gone. The only survivors on Earth are the people who live on high ground like the mountains. This book is written from the perspective of one of the survivors. An octogenarian who's scribbling down what he can remember since the flooding began.

Needless to say, the world is grim. It's like living in an Immortal song.

Shit gets crazy. You don't need to know anything further about the plot. It's an apocalyptic story with a slow burn. I really appreciated the slow pacing. The first half of the book is all leading up to a crescendo. Once the cymbals clash, the tempo of the book starts to pick up and there are more peaks and valleys. It's cool.

I'd definitely recommend this book. It's not overly sci-fi or fantasy based. Clearly you can see based on the cover it's not a likely story, but it's not so over the top that it lost my interest. It's about how real people face real tragedies. When the world is going to shit and Satanists are surfing down main street...What do you do? What do you do?

Richard Branson: Losing My Virginity

I finished this last night. Great bloody bio.

Growing up in Britain, Branson's mug was familiar to many. He always seemed to be in the news trying some daredevil stunt and he always seemed to be...rich. So, years later I was interested to find out how one man managed to juggle being an adventurer and being a billionaire entrepreneur. How'd it all happen?

Virgin Group is so freakin diversified, it's crazy. Virgin does everything from air-travel, rail, spaceships, cola, banks, clothes, to music. It's all over the map. I think Virgin literally has hundreds of businesses under the brand umbrella.

I'm not gonna tell you about Branson's story. It's a 600 page book. It's a wild ass ride. See for yourself. All I can say is that I went in knowing very little but somehow having respect for the dude. As rich as he is, he always seemed like an underdog. I read the book and now have a much deeper appreciation for the man, how he made his riches, and how he chooses to spend his time and profits. The world needs more Richard Bransons. Seriously. He's a self-made billionaire who leaves and breathes philanthropy.

The book dives into his childhood and you can clearly see that the way his parents raised him profoundly affected his trajectory in life. He was constantly challenged as a child and that really sculpted his fearless personality. He didn't come from riches whatsoever. But his parents gifted him with self-perseverance, self-esteem and no fear of failure; the ingredients for success. I think he did pretty well for himself. The dude has a private space-tourism company!

Branson was a hustler. It's great to see how everything started (with a student-oriented magazine) and to see how one business begat another and another and another...He just hustled and took advantage of opportunities when they arose. Fearless and innovative, no matter the odds. And things always work out in his favor. Branson doesn't bend.

Finally, after he's bought private islands, started tons of wildly-successful international companies, risked his life doing crazy record-breaking adventures, and made literally billions of dollars, he decides to focus almost all his time and energy on philanthropy. The dude sets up schools, hospitals, you name it. He's investing in people, saving animals, saving human lives, and making a difference on a global scale. The man is inspirational.

Read the book. It's some exciting shit.

His daughter is a doctor. And evidently pretty damn hot!!! 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I'd read Covey's son's book, "The Speed of Trust" and thought it was excellent. It's a very eye-opening tome that you can apply to business and social life. Well worth a read. It was just a matter of time before I read Covey Snr's landmark book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

I borrowed the book from our company's lending-library. Clearly it was on old copy and I wasn't the first the learn from it. The title and the book is almost mythic and cliche at the same time. But I dove into it without prejudgement. There had to be good reason that this book had sold over 25 million copies, even if seemed a bit "cheesy."

And it turns out there is a very good reason it's sold 25 million copies.

Covey is an even better communicator than his son. I feel like he's a bit more down to earth. Very casual and matter-of-fact, but clearly educated and intelligent. He writes simply so as to connect, yet with enough mature authority so as to command respect and maintain audience. The book flows well. Covey delivers sage counsel peppered with personal examples chapter after chapter, but it never reads as sermon.

True, sometimes Covey drops some religions allusions or references, but it's clearly his own opinion and he doesn't try to convince you to be religions by any means (thankfully). So you can respectfully ignore that if you so choose and get to the meat-and-potatoes of what he's trying to impart. It's worth it.

I read the book with a business situation in mind, but the habits and precepts go far beyond a business setting. They are daily concepts and morals that apply inwardly, outwardly, socially, in business and in pleasure.

I'm not going to go into the actual content of the book because that would do it an injustice. The subtitle is "Powerful Lessons in Personal Change." Read the book, apply the habits, and hopefully be a better person because of it. It can't hurt. There's good advice or powerful anecdotes literally on every page. The 320 pages are worthy of your investment in time and energy. If you only read one book in 2013, this certainly wouldn't be a bad choice. It would make a great gift, too. I feel a certain responsibility to pass it along...

Covey passed away last year. R.I.P., brotha.